by Chris Tillen, Staff Writer, February 2021

AP Social Avoidance 

  1. This course addresses the most pressing issue facing students – how to escape social interaction. This AP-level curriculum will explore the various tactics students can use to avoid conversations with their peers and will cover situations such as talking to your ex’s best friend, talking to someone whose texts you are actively ignoring, talking to someone whose name you’re only 75 percent sure of, and more. Students will cultivate skills that will prepare them for real-life interactions (or rather, how to avoid them). 
  2. Credits: Full Credit. 
  3. Open to: I, II
  4. School Level: Upper School
  5. Term Offered: Full Year 
  1. Science of Bathroom Breaks: How Long and How Frequent? 
    1. How long can you hide in the bathroom during class before it becomes suspicious? This is a question that all students have pondered during a particularly long class or after an abnormally late night. This course will discuss the many ever-changing variables that determine how long you can truly leave the classroom without your teacher noticing. It will also teach students how to properly assess any situation that calls for a tactful bathroom break. Students will engage in simulations and receive real-time feedback from esteemed faculty members.
    2. Credits: Full Credit 
    3. Open to: I, II, III, IV 
    4. School Level: Upper School
    5. Term Offered: Fall and Spring 
  2. Fighting Feelings 
    1. STEM courses are notorious for beating down any hardworking student until there is nothing left. This anger management course will control the damage done by Geometry, Chemistry, Algebra II, Physics, and AP Calculus. By the end of the year, students will possess a toolbox full of coping mechanisms. Students are first introduced to meditation, but the syllabus then advances to high level strategies such as cramming your face with ice cream while sitting silently in your bedroom. The course will culminate in a research project on the merits of employing karate in order to stop the pain of STEM. 
    2. Credits: Full Credit 
    3. Open to: I, II, III, IV
    4. School Level: Upper School
    5. Term Offered: Full Year 
  3. Snoozing and Cruising 
    1. This class is designed to teach students how to appropriately nap during class. As American treasure Thomas Dekker once stated, “Sleep is like the golden chain that binds our health and body together.” Sleep is the most valuable part of any day, and this class will ensure that no student misses an opportunity to sleep in any circumstance and environment. This course will teach students how to use advanced calculus to determine the probability of a teacher catching a student in the act and how to lower that chance to save the student. This course will culminate in a real-time assessment where students nap in front of a surprise teacher and attempt not to get caught. 
    2. Credits: Full Credit 
    3. Open To: III, IV
    4. School Level: Upper School 
    5. Prerequisites: AP AB or BC Calculus 
    6. Term Offered: Spring Only 
  4. Introduction to Drink Mixing 
    1. This course will educate students on the complex offerings of the Castle’s beverage arsenal. Students will employ lab-based skills in order to comprehend the chemical breakdown of the various Castle juices. The class will culminate in a final presentation where students craft the perfect drink and present it to esteemed members of the Nobles community, including Provost Bill Bussey and Head of School Cathy Hall, Ph.D.
    2. Prerequisites: Chemistry and Biology
    3. Open to: I, II 
    4. School Level: Upper School 
    5. Term Offered: Fall Only 
  5. Clapping for Credit 
    1. The blunt truth is that music is too hard. The various musical ensembles that meet during M-Block require way more work than any student is capable of putting in, and students need an easier alternative to drum and guitar ensemble. This course offers a productive and simple way for students to earn their arts credit. Each student will get to experience the highs and lows of high school music by learning how to carefully mash their hands together. This course will include exercises ranging from slow clapping to fast clapping. Members of Clapping for Credit are encouraged to audition for junior and senior districts, and they will perform in choral and band concerts. Students of Clapping for Credit typically participate in the course year round in order to experience the many different music styles of clapping. 
    2. Credits: Half Credit 
    3. Open To: I, II, III, IV
    4. School Level: Upper School – Middle School 
    5. Term Offered: Fall Semester, Spring Semester 
  6. Assembly Etiquette 101 
    1. Assembly is the glue that holds the Nobles community together. This course explores how students should properly behave during this almost-daily occurrence. This course will begin with an analysis of just how close students can arrive to 8:00 a.m. without getting locked out. Students will then dive into how to maximize the deadpan response to a faculty member saying “good morning.” Students will later explore the line between “we clap relatively excitedly” and “we spring to our feet.” Students will also navigate the appropriate response to the hoards of classical music that flood assembly when any concert is approaching. Students will even approach advanced topics such as “when am I supposed to awkwardly laugh during a teacher presentation?” 
    2. Credits: Full Credit 
    3. Open To: I, II, III, IV 
    4. School Level: Upper School 
    5. Term Offered: Full Year